Very, very rude: Alex Hales slams Tamim Iqbal for confrontation during BPL

Alex Hales opened up on his fiery confrontation with Tamim Iqbal during the Bangladesh Premier League match between Rangpur Riders and Fortune Barishal. Hales claimed that Tamim was being very rude and personal during the altercation.

In Short

• Footage showed Tamim needing to be restrained by Rangpur players
• Hales revealed that Tamim made a personal jibe, asking if he felt embarrassed about his 2019 ban
• Tamim claimed that he got angry at Hales for verbally abusing teammate Iqbal Hossain Emon

Alex Hales has shed light on his heated exchange with Tamim Iqbal during a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025 match on January 9, accusing the former Bangladesh captain of making "personal" remarks during the altercation. The dramatic game between Rangpur Riders and Fortune Barishal ended in a thrilling finish. Rangpur’s captain, Nurul Hasan, pulled off a stunning chase by scoring 30 runs in the final over, the second-highest in the history of men’s T20 cricket for a successful last-over chase.

Following Barishal’s narrow defeat, skipper Tamim Iqbal was involved in a fiery confrontation with Rangpur opener Alex Hales. Footage showed Tamim needing to be restrained by Rangpur players, though the exact cause of the argument was initially unclear.

In an interview with Channel 24, Hales revealed that Tamim made a personal jibe, asking if he felt embarrassed about his 2019 ban for recreational drug use, which had led to Hales being dropped from England’s World Cup-winning squad.

"He was asking if I was embarrassed for getting banned for drugs for England and he was asking if I was still taking drugs and he was very, very rude. It's a real shame really because if anything happens on the field that just ends on the field, but to get personal and that too after the game, I think is pathetic, to be honest," Hales revealed.

Tamim hits back at Hales

In response to Hales’ allegations, Tamim addressed the issue on journalist Riasad Azim’s YouTube channel, claiming that his anger stemmed from Hales verbally abusing Barishal teammate Iqbal Hossain Emon. Tamim stated that the confrontation was triggered by his defense of Emon, which led to the heated exchange.

"He abused Emon, and it was visible on TV. He mocked him again today. If you watch the celebration video, Rangpur players ran towards (Nurul) after the win, but Hales kept looking at me and mocking me. It seemed like he wanted a fight," explained Tamim.

"Later, when he again insulted Emon, I had to stand up for my teammate, and I have no regrets about doing so. We both exchanged words."

"I didn't even know about his ban or follow him that closely. But I do know there are many accusations against him in England. If anyone says something about me or my team, I will always stand up for us, regardless of how I’m portrayed on TV."

Tamim received a warning and one demerit point for committing a Level 1 offense under the BPL Code of Conduct. Match referee Neeyamur Rashid Rahul imposed the charges, which Tamim accepted, avoiding the need for a formal hearing.